The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly have their sights set on veteran power forward Nemanja Bjelica from the Sacramento Kings via trade.
First reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania ($$), the Bucks are among several contending teams looking at the 32-year-old ahead of the March 25 trade deadline. Bjelica has taken a backseat in Sacramento’s rotation this season by logging just 17.5 minutes per game, the fewest over his six-year career.
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With the Kings in the midst of another disappointing season, Bjelica is one of the many names on their roster mentioned in trade rumors. While he might not be the most desirable name for Milwaukee to target, he could certainly be a compelling addition if they were to swing a trade for him.
However, any deal will pose a certain degree of difficulty as piecing together a deal that allows the Bucks to take on Bjelica’s $7.2 million salary this season will require some financial strings to be pulled.
The front office between the Bucks and Kings are quite familiar with one another after a botched trade this offseason, but perhaps they could get a deal done with a different centerpiece in mind this time. With that being said, here are three reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks should pursue a trade for Bjelica from the Kings before the deadline.
First reason the Milwaukee Bucks should trade for Nemanja Bjelica — Adding a solid veteran to the bench
It goes without saying that Milwaukee’s bench has been hit or miss when it comes to scoring this season. Led by Bobby Portis, D.J. Augustin, and Pat Connaughton, among others, this second unit oftentimes looks like they could be the best in the association, while other times they struggle to make any impact whatsoever.
Consistent scoring has been among the most apparent issues, as the Bucks’ bench currently ranks 19th in scoring this season by managing to put just 34.4 points on the board per game. This unit could certainly use a spark to help put extra points on the board, and while a player like Bjelica does not resolve this issue entirely, he could help.
Throughout his six-year career, the 32-year-old has primarily been a bench piece, starting in just 160 of his career 359 regular season games. In that span, he has been a productive rotational piece for both the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Kings, averaging eight points on .468/.389/.773 shooting splits, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
While he does not provide much assistance defensively, Bjelica could give Milwaukee some solid minutes off the bench and provide a boost offensively. Furthermore, he could bring forth some closure in an area that it appears the team is weighing their options at in the frontcourt.